Bullet

ABSTRACT

Non-ricochetable bullet having a plastic tip, and a hollow impact frangible casing filled with heavy particles, preferably wet or suspended in a thick liquid dispersible upon frangible impact with the target.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,911,820

Canon Oct. 14, 1975 [54] B LLET 1,306,215 1919 Cushing 102/67 x2,105,528 l/1938 Foisy 102 53 [76] lnventor. Jack Y. Canon, 2194 Delmas,2,315,853 tr/1943 HodgSonm 10232] 01991011838, 70570 2,341,212 12 1944Friend 102 67 x 3,074,344 1/1963 Devaux 102/91 X [22] 1973 3,429,2632/1969 Snyder 102/92.7 [21] Appl. No.1 405,781 3,616,758 11/1971 Komarov102/92 3,756,155 9/1973 Smith 102 42 R Related pp n' 3,776,137 12/1973Abbott 102 92 x Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 237,271, March 23, 1972,abandoned.

US. Cl. 102/38; 102/91; 102/92.1 Int. Cl. F42b 5/02 Field of Search102/92, 91, 92.2, 92.3,

lO2/92.4, 92.7, 38, 42, 42 C, 41, 53, 67

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 9/1879 Mason 102/42 C 1/1884Sinclair 102/91 Primary ExqminerBenjamin A. Borchelt AssistantExamirterl-l. J. Tudor Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor & HindsABSTRACT Non-ricochetable bullet having a plastic tip, and a hollowimpact frangible casing filled with heavy particles, preferably wet orsuspended in a thick liquid dispersible upon frangible impact with thetarget.

23 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 3,911,820

pg- La-Q- UJO a O u um i a NSIQUID BULLET This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 237,271, nowabandoned, filed Mar. 23, 1972, and relates to a sectional,non-ricochetable bullet; and, more particularly, to a bullet having animpact frangible casing, preferably filled with a viscous to semi-solidfluid such as gelatinous liquid or paste alone, and which is filled withfinely-divided heavy particles dispersible in the target upon impact;and a tip closing said casing and having a hardness variable with thepurpose for which the bullet is to be used.

The bullet of the present invention is designed to remain as an integralmissile following firing, retaining its structure until broken uponimpact with the target surface. The hollow bullet casing is filled withindividual heavy particles, usually metal, suspended in and therebyloosely aggregated together by, the liquid, preferably a viscous liquidto semi-solid gel or paste; whereby, upon impact of the bullet with thetarget, the bullet casing breaks, releasing the heavy particles whichenter the target and are scattered therein in a controlled cone. Theseparticles scatter only upon impact with the target, but remain as anintegral body until the confining casing is broken by contact with thetarget surface.

The bullet is preferably frangibly sealed to a blunted or rounded tip toprevent ricochet, and the tip is generally formed of impact destructibleplastic. There may be substituted as other tip substances fiberreenforced plastic, or even metal, in order to accommodate variablebullet velocities projected from different size guns with varying muzzlevelocities. The tip is fastened to the casing in a manner to remainfrangibly secured thereto, confining the contents within the casinguntil impact, even at high velocities. For this purpose the bulletshereof will be made variable in size for rifles and for 22 to 45 calibrehand guns or rifles, and from 410 to 12 gauge for smooth bore guns.

The invention is further described with reference to the drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 shows an assembled bullet;

FIG. 2 shows the deflection of the casing upon impact and breaking atthe joint of the tip; and

FIG. 3 shows the bullet entering the target and diffusion of the metalparticles from the point of impact.

Referring to FIG. 1, the bullet comprises a casing which is a tin-walledcapsule of copper or possibly of deformable plastic, the plastic beingsufficiently high temperature-resistant to maintain its body and shapeat about 450C, as needed for the very short period of time in traversingthe bore of the gun, during which it develops relatively hightemperatures without breaking in the gun or being destroyed as it leavesthe muzzle. There are numerous high temperature plastics of silicone,boron and carbon available on the market today which would be usefullyused for cartridge casing material because of their high temperatureresistance and substantial strength at high temperatures. The bullet 10will be mounted to a propellant charge within a car- The casing 10 isfilled with heavy particles, possibly without, but preferably with, anyliquid containing the heavy particles, preferably a highly viscousliquid to semi-solid gelatinous body such as highly viscous lubricatingoil or a liquid polymer such as polyisobutylene having a molecularweight between about 2,000 and 15,000, petroleum jelly (petrolatum) andlighter gelated liquids such as oil or water or alcohol gelated withcellulose acetate, methylcellulose and soaps such as sodium stearate orabietate or other commonly known gelating agents, heavy vegetable oils,heavy silicone liquid and the like. The liquid, as pointed out, can be alight liquid but preferably has a minimum viscosity of 100 SSU at 210F,but any lighter liquid can be used as such. The liquid, however, isusually thickened to desired viscosity. It may have an initial viscosityless than this, and which is then thickened as desired by addinggelating agents thereto to increase the viscosity up to or exceeding thesame minimum. The upper limit may be a semi-solid state such as asemi-solid oil or paste.

The liquid is filled with heavy particles such as fine metai particles,typically lead particles ranging from socalled chilled lead which may bevery fine, but is usually at least; as large as dust size. A preferredsize is available commercially as No. 12 National Lead, and may rangeupward in size from dust shot, so termed by a commercial distributorOlin, up to large size particles. ln practical'size this will vary fromabout 200 up to about 25 U.S.standard sieve; for example, about as largeas BB shot. Dust and larger sizes of lead shot are well recognized inthe art as set forth in SMOKELESS SHOTGUN POWDERS by Wallace H. Coxe,published by Dupont, with a 1933 copyright, on page 79.

The particles are evenly distributed throughout the viscous liquid orgel, whereby the shot is merely packed solid as to be only homogeneouslywet therewith. Thus, while the particles are loose, in that they areheld together onlyby the viscous liquid, the concentration is such thatthe particles comprise some 65 to by volume of the filler. Anidentifying characteristic of this particle-filled liquid is that theparticles are freely separable from each other upon impact into thetarget, individual particles scattering as such, and do not penetratethe target as a solid body. Other heavy solid substances imparting amass to the liquid may be substituted for the metal particles, typicallylead oxide or zinc oxide, barium sulfate and other heavy particlesubstances insoluble in the viscous liquid, and tending to greatlyincrease the specific gravity of the viscous carrier liquid with whichthe heavy solids are suspended or merely coated. The heavy,particle-filled liquid 14 is loaded into the cartridge 10, filling thesame, the filling being sealed by crimping the upper end 16 of thecartridge, about a protruding flange 18 of the bullet tip 20.

The bullet tip 20 is preferably a frangible plastic which willdisintegrate on impact with the target surface into numerous smallfragments or particles. For this purpose teflon, polysilicone, nylon,polystyrene, polystyrene impact and polystyrene copolymer withacrylonitrile and butadiene, known commercially as ABS, may be used. Ofthese several plastic tip substances, virgin teflon is preferred becauseit maintains its integrity in the gun bore without disintegration atsubstantial temperatures and pressures, and tends also to lubricate thebore and maintain the bullet without destruction in the bore or as itleaves the muzzle; but, under impact with the target, will be brokeninto small pieces scattering divergently into the target along with theparticles as it enters the surface of the target. The tip 20 secured tothe casing by the frangible joint 16 is so constructed to maintain thebullet integral in projection and flight, but the assembly is frangiblyseparable upon impact with the surface of the target as described, theseveral particles including fragmentation of the plastic tip scatteringconically within the target.

As thus described, a bullet is provided having a hollow casing filledwith heavy particles and which is frangibly sealed to a closure tip.This bullet may be fired from a handgun or rifle and will retain itsstructural integrity as a filled casing closed by a tip until it strikesthe target. On the target surface the bullet breaks at the tip as shownin the drawings and expells theheavy particles which enter and scatterthrough the target. Where, as is possible, but not preferred, the hollowcasing of the bullet is filled with dry heavy particles, it will breakand the particles will enter and scatter through the target quite widelyand these heavy particles will penetrate the target only shallowly,drawn widely spread in the conical lines A of FIG. 3. Where theparticles are disposed within a liquid, they will spread in a more orless regular conical pattern within the target. The conical spread ofheavy particles within the target will be narrower; that is, the conewill have a lower diameter, where the liquid is most viscous; that is,gelatinous or pasty, such conical spread being within the narrower conedefined by the lines C. The conical spread, however, will be wider, oflarger diameter, where the liquid is viscous; that is, substantiallyless viscous than the gelatinous or pasty form, supplying thereby awider conical spread with, however, a target penetration of smaller orintermediate depth, as shown between the conical lines B. Thus, therewill be a conical spread of heavy particles within the target generallyproportional to the viscosity of the liquid, spreading wider with lowerviscosity; quite wide with only shallow penetration where no liquid isused, and scattering conically within a small diameter and with deeperpenetration where the liquid is quite viscous. Consequently, it will beapparent that the type of penetration of the heavy particles within thetarget will vary in a regular conical pattern with the character of theliquid, as is preferred, and will scatter widely with very shallowpenetration when no liquid is used, according to the diagrammatic linesA, B and C illustrating such spread.

An important advantage of such construction is that the bullet isreadily broken upon impact, even at low angles, such as about 8, and thebullet will not ricochet off of the target, even at such low angle.Since the tip breaks into fragments upon entering the target, it willnot pass through and will do no damage by ricoheting or passing throughthe target onto a secondary target.

Some of the listed plastics including teflon may, however, at very highmuzzle velocities and high temperatures and pressures developed withinthe bore of the gun, tend to break up in flight as it leaves the muzzle,whereby it may be desirable for some bullets to further reenforce theplastic tip for use at such high velocities, whereby it will retain itsintegrity, shape and configuration, at least until impact with thetarget. With some reenforcements, such as a strong fiber, such as strongfiberglass, the tip will not be destroyed upon impact with the target,but will enter the target without disintegration. For this purpose alead tip may also be substituted for the plastic tip, in which event thetip also will not be broken up into particles either upon impact withthe target or after substantial penetration of the target, dependingupon the construction and material used in the formation of the tip.Such lead tip, as usual, does not need fiber reenforcement. However,whatever tip is used, the thin cartridge crimped there will separateupon impact with the target to allow the heavy liquid and particles topass into the target and be distributed in a wide scattering such asconically within the target body.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bulging of the cartridge 10 is shownexaggeratedly as the tip 20 engages the target surface 22. At the pointof impact the edges of the cartridge 10 will separate from the tip, asshown in FIG. 3, and the particles 24 will be distributed widely withinthe body of the target. As shown in FIG. 3, in particular, theunreinforced plastic 20 also disintegrates into fragments whichappear'substantially similar to the metallic particles and become widelydistributed therewith in the target body.

The following are typical working examples of the invention describedherein:

EXAMPLE I A cartridge for a Python revolver, having a six inch barrel,using a 0.357 Magnum calibre cartridge case containing 5.5 grains ofBulls Eye and a CCI small pistol primer, is loaded with a projectilefilled with petrolatum and with tightly packed No. 12 Lawrence brandlead shot, so that the total particle volume is 90% shot and theprojectile weight is approximately grains. The projectile casing is athin copper sheath having a virgin teflon nose cap of solid teflonplastic, as shown in FIG. 1. When the cartridge, loaded as abovedescribed, is fired into dry cypress wood surface at an angle of 8,there is a gouging of the target surface, the projectile disintegratingand scattering particles for a distance of a few feet. However, there isno ricochet, as in the case of any small arms projectile now in use.Even more complete disintegration occurs when this projectile is firedat a water surface at an angle of 8; and, again, there is no ricochet.When striking a target at angles of 10 to there is increasingpenetration of the target surface, the disintegration of the projectileoccuring deeper within the target as the angle of impact increases. Theheavy petrolatum liquid will, however, impart to this bullet a narrowconical spread confined within the lines C of FIG. 3, with relativelydeep penetration within the target, as shown.

EXAMPLE II The bullet formed as in Example I is repeated except that aliquid lubricant of medium viscosity lubricating oil such as at 210F SSUis used. The conical spread of the shot will be roughly approximate tothat shown within the lines B of FIG. 3, indicating a substantiallywider conical spread and a substantially shallower depth of penetrationof the shot within the target.

The use of a much lighter liquid would allow a substantially widerconical spread and even more shallow penetration.

If the liquid were omitted entirely, using the same shot filler, thentheshot would scatter even more widely, having relatively even moreshallow penetration with wide scattering, substantially as shown by thelimits defined by the line A of FIG.'3. The utility of the 5' liquid tosupply a significantly deep penetration of the shot into the target isappa'rent. r

As thus described, a bulletcornprising separable sections is taught,including a heavy liquid to; semi-solid gelatinous filler whose specificgrayity is increased or wetted by heavy particles, such asmetalparticles of heavy chemical particles, which greatly increase thegravity of the mixture, and cause wide scattering of the particles uponimpact with the target. The filler is disposed in an easily frangiblecasing which may be of thin metal or plastic, easily separable on impactfrom the bullet tip upon striking the target. The tip itself may be offrangible or fiber reenforced plastic which maintains its integrity formedium velocity bullets, the unreenforced being broken up into smallparticles upon impact; but reenforced by fiber such as fiberglass, thetip will not be destroyed upon impact but will permit deeper penetrationwith the target. Alternatively, the tip may be formed of metal, such aslead, which will retain its body briefly upon impact, permitting deepdisintegration within the target, as desired.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in ing is sized forrifled guns from 22 to 45 calibre and the art. It will be understoodthat the jacket may be 1% inches in length or less for shotgunprojectiles; or onehalf to full jacket for hand guns; or to full jacketfor rifles. The jacket may be cannelured and shaped, sized andstrengthened to conform to various guns with smooth or rifled bores.Accordingly, it is intended that the description given above be regardedas exemplary and not limiting, except as defined in the claims asappended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A bullet for small arms comprising a hollow missile casing forreleasable coupling with a cartridge carrying a propellant charge, saidcasing enclosing as a filler a liquid ranging in viscosity upward tosemi-solid gelatinous and a multiplicity of heavy insoluble particlesselected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides and metalcompounds, said casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tipforming a frangible seal with said open end, said heavy particles beingat least as large as dust shot and being present in volume of 65 to 95%of said filler, said casing and tip being of such dimensions, materialsand configurations as to constitute an integral bullet sized missileresistant to deformation or destruction during firing and until impactwith a target to break said frangible seal and release said casingfiller in the target.

2. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed offrangible plastic.

3. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of lead.

4. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed offiber-reenforced plastic.

5. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of aplastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon,polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile,butadiene and styrene.

6. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the casing contains finelead particles.

7. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the casing contains inertheavy chemical particles.

8. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the liquid is selected fromthe group consisting of polyisobutylene, petroleum jelly, heavypetroleum oil, heavy vegetable oil, silicone liquid and light liquids ofthe group consisting of oil,'water and alcohol gelated to heavy liquid'to gelatinous form with a gelating agent.

9. Thebullet asdefined in claim 1 wherein the liquid to 'semi-solidgelatinous filler has a minimum viscosity of 100 SSU'at 210 F.'

' 10. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the easfor smoothboreguns from 410 to 12 gauge. 11. A bullet for small arms comprising ahollow missile casing for releasable coupling with a cartridge car-.rying a propellant charge, said casing enclosing a liquid ranging inviscosity upward to a semi-solid gelatinous body, and containing inmajor quantity a multiplicity of heavy particles selected from the groupconsisting of metals, metal oxides and metal compounds at least as largeas dust shot, said casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tip,said open end being closed by said blunted or rounded tip and said tipbeing forming a frangibly seal with said casing, said casing and tipbeing of such dimensions, materials and configurations as to constitutean integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destructionduring firing and until impact with a target to break said frangibleseal and release the casing contents in the target.

12. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein said heavy particles arelead shot.

13. The bullet as defined in claim 1 1 wherein said liquid is silicone.

14. A bullet for small arms comprising a thin-walled casing enclosing asa filler a viscous liquid to semi-solid gelatinous body having a minimumviscosity of about 100 at 210F SSU containing metal particles, saidfilled casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tip closing saidopen end of said casing, and means frangibly sealing said tip to saidcasing, said metal particles being sized at least as large as dust shotand being present in volume of 65 to of said filler, said casing and tipcomprising an integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation ordestruction during firing and until impact with the surface of a targetto break said frangible seal and release said casing filler in thetarget.

15. The bullet as defined in claim 14 wherein the metal particles arelead shot.

16. The bullet as defined in claim 8 wherein the tip is formed of aplastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon,polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile,butadiene and styrene.

17. The bullet as defined in claim 15 wherein the tip is formed of aplastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon,polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile,butadiene and styrene.

18. The bullet as defined in claim 14 wherein the tip is formed of glassfiber-reenforced teflon and the particles are approximately No. 12 leadshot.

19. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein said heavy particles aremetallic and are sized in the range of dust size up to about 25 meshU.S. Standard screen, and are present in quantity to substantially fillsaid hollow casing.

20. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the tip is formed ofplastic.

21. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the casing is formed ofmetal and the tip is formed of plastic.

22. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the easing is formed ofmetal and the tip is formed of metal.

"end of said casing and means frangibly upon impact with 'the targetsurface sealing said tip to said casing, said casing and tip comprisingan integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destructionduring firing and until impact with the surface of a target to breaksaid frangible seal and release said casing fillei in the target.

1. A bullet for small arms comprising a hollow missile casing for releasable coupling with a cartridge carrying a propellant charge, said casing enclosing as a filler a liquid ranging in viscosity upward to semi-solid gelatinous and a multiplicity of heavy insoluble particles selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides and metal compounds, said casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tip forming a frangible seal with said open end, said heavy particles being at least as large as dust shot and being present in volume of 65 to 95% of said filler, said casing and tip being of such dimensions, materials and configurations as to constitute an integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destruction during firing and until impact with a target to break said frangible seal and release said casing filler in the target.
 2. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of frangible plastic.
 3. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of lead.
 4. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of fiber-reenforced plastic.
 5. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the tip is formed of a plastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon, polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene.
 6. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the casing contains fine lead particles.
 7. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the casing contains inert heavy chemical particles.
 8. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylene, petroleum jelly, heavy petroleum oil, heavy vegetable oil, silicone liquid and light liquids of the group consisting of oil, water and alcohol gelated to heavy liquid to gelatinous form with a gelating agent.
 9. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the liquid to semi-solid gelatinous filler has a minimum viscosity of 100 SSU at 210* F.
 10. The bullet as defined in claim 1 wherein the casing is sized for rifled guns from 22 to 45 calibre and for smooth bore guns from 410 to 12 gauge.
 11. A bullet for small arms comprising a hollow missile casing for releasable coupling with a cartridge carrying a propellant charge, said casing enclosing a liquid ranging in viscosity upward to a semi-solid gelatinous body, and containing in major quantity a multiplicity of heavy particles selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides and metal compounds at least as large as dust shot, said casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tip, said open end being closed by said blunted or rounded tip and said tip being forming a frangibly seal with said casing, said casing and tip being of such dimensions, materials and configurations as to constitute an integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destruction during firing and until impact with a target to break said frangible seal and release the casing contents in the target.
 12. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein said Heavy particles are lead shot.
 13. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein said liquid is silicone.
 14. A bullet for small arms comprising a thin-walled casing enclosing as a filler a viscous liquid to semi-solid gelatinous body having a minimum viscosity of about 100* at 210*F SSU containing metal particles, said filled casing having an open end, a blunted or rounded tip closing said open end of said casing, and means frangibly sealing said tip to said casing, said metal particles being sized at least as large as dust shot and being present in volume of 65 to 95% of said filler, said casing and tip comprising an integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destruction during firing and until impact with the surface of a target to break said frangible seal and release said casing filler in the target.
 15. The bullet as defined in claim 14 wherein the metal particles are lead shot.
 16. The bullet as defined in claim 8 wherein the tip is formed of a plastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon, polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene.
 17. The bullet as defined in claim 15 wherein the tip is formed of a plastic selected from the group consisting of teflon, silicone, nylon, polystyrene, polystyrene impact and copolymer of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene.
 18. The bullet as defined in claim 14 wherein the tip is formed of glass fiber-reenforced teflon and the particles are approximately No. 12 lead shot.
 19. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein said heavy particles are metallic and are sized in the range of dust size up to about 25 mesh U.S. Standard screen, and are present in quantity to substantially fill said hollow casing.
 20. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the tip is formed of plastic.
 21. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the casing is formed of metal and the tip is formed of plastic.
 22. The bullet as defined in claim 11 wherein the casing is formed of metal and the tip is formed of metal.
 23. A bullet for small arms comprising a hollow enclosing casing having an open end; a liquid having a minimum viscosity of 100* at 210*F, to a semi-solid gelatinous medium contained as a filler, further containing insoluble heavy particles selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides and metal compounds, said heavy particles being at least as large as dust shot and being present in volume of 65 to 95% of said filler; a blunted or rounded tip closing said open end of said casing and means frangibly upon impact with the target surface sealing said tip to said casing, said casing and tip comprising an integral bullet sized missile resistant to deformation or destruction during firing and until impact with the surface of a target to break said frangible seal and release said casing filler in the target. 